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Steam Shower Cabin Installation: DIY or Professional Installer

When it comes to installing a steam shower cabin, many customers ask if the steam function or the steam shower cabin as a whole is easy to install. In short the answer comes back to confidence and ability – for some, it could be considered easy enough while for others it might not be so straightforward. When it comes to installation, you need to assess your skills and mindset. Ask yourself if are capable of undertaking such project, open and honestly. Hopefully, with the information below you will be able to come up with a sound choice.

Do-It-Yourself Steam Shower Installation

You might think that the majority of the work that is involved during the installation of a steam shower unit is all about the plumbing. This aspect in fact only accounts for maybe 10% of the entire installation process.

Self-contained shower cabins are similar to a washing machine in its connections to both the hot and cold water supply and the waste and use a flexible connector. Simply connect these with a 15mm compression isolation valve on the hot and cold and the waste to a compression coupling and you’re set to go.

Most of the work is attributed to the actual assembly of the unit itself and its components. You will receive the item as a flat package. If you are capable of building a packed Ikea type wardrobe easily then this is what you should expect. The item is no more taxing than a standard shower enclosure, simply, there is just more parts to it but the degree of difficulty is the same.

Another option that you might wish to consider still is to hire a professional plumber to carry out the water connections for you, especially if there is further work needed to be undertaken in the bathroom.

The electrical aspect of the installation is THE part of the installation that you have to give the most consideration to. A good number of the cabins feature lighting, a steam generator and even a whirlpool. All these simply mean that the unit requires electricity to power up.

When you have unpacked the unit and you have checked that all components are included, you need at least 3 to 4 hours to construct the unit. This time span does not include plumbing, sealing, connecting to the power supply. This also does not include the water testing after connecting the unit to the mains water supply.

NOTE: All new electrics in a bathroom MUST be carried out be a “Part P” registered electrician

Hiring a professional

However, if you find yourself having a hard time then maybe the best option for you now is to hire a professional, particularly if you can find one from a company that specializes in steam shower installation. You can also opt for a bathroom fitter or plumber. If you do go down the route and hire an expert then there are a few points that you need to consider to make sure that you get the best one.

Check the websites

There are several websites that you can check out when contacting potential local plumbers or installers. You can go to Yell.co.uk, Checkatrade.com, Ratedpeople.com and Compare-Tradesmen.com. These websites will allow you to search and check out genuine feedback for professionals who work in your area.

Vet the professional

The first thing that you need to ask when vetting a professional is about their experience. It is important for you to know if they have any experience in installing self-contained shower or perhaps a steam shower cabin. It is better to hire one that has a degree of experience in building these types of units. A credible installer will have a background in setting up products like these. Having said that, like our statement earlier, as the units are no more tasking than a shower enclosure, an experience bathroom fitter should have no issue

You also need to keep an eye out on old school plumbers. Many of them do not have experience with this type of product or maybe because they have come across a similar cheap product in the past, which one of their clients had them install and as it was sub standard they had a bad experience. It can also be because they would like to be the one to supply you the product that you want to have or offer their services from unpacking the unit, do the plumbing and electricity installation. By offering an all-in-one service, they will get to earn more.

It is possible that they’ve come across a problematic unit in the past, which has been bought from a shady supplier or perhaps from an auction site. There are instances when these old school professional fail to update themselves about the latest types of units and reliable brands that are on trend today. Like anything you can buy a cheap DVD player, bike, anything from Ebay or Amazon and you should not be surprised if unbranded, cheap imitations have issues.

Things to Consider

If you have decided to hire a professional, it would be best to get at least 2 quotes and a breakdown of their charges.

Plumbing charge

Ask about the plumbing charge. The work involves getting your hot and cold pipework installed properly in a location that is behind the shower unit. The amount that you have to pay for usually vary on the amount of work that they need to do and the materials that they will need to use.

Electricity charge

Electricity charges are also important to take note of. This work involves the installation of an electricity supply behind the location where the steam shower will be located. The cost will depend on what is involved.

Building the unit

Building the unit. The cost of building the unit usually range from £150-£300. But it would also depend on the model of the unit and your location in the country.